ready for something new to read? Meet author #Gail Kittleson!

Dear Friends, I would like to introduce you to a new writer. Well she isn't new, she is just new to me. Gail Kittleson. Her books are fascinating and I don't think you will be able to put them down.

Gail, tell us what you write. Break it down and give us an idea of what your stories are about. My historical fiction and honors Greatest Generation people whose courage and make-do attitudes made all the difference during a trying time in our nation’s history. Their extraordinary pluck and willingness to work together stand as models for us today.

Do you have a series? When and where are they set? Are they meant to be read in order or can someone just jump in? Yes, my series is under my Women of the Heartland brand. The first book, In Times Like These, is set in rural Iowa and London during the first years of the war. Soon after the Pearl Harbor attack, Addie marries a farmer right out of high schools and grows her first victory garden. Her husband Harold, who lost his friend Joe on the Arizona, wants to go to war but cannot, so he takes his anger out on Addie.
Through her down-the-road neighbor Jane and letters from her best friend Kate in London, Addie is strengthened and gradually finds her voice. The sequel, With Each New Dawn, tells Kate’s story, which takes readers behind enemy lines in the Auvergne, France, and the third book, A Purpose True, culminates Addie and Kate’s stories. Each book may also be read as a stand-alone.

What is your inspiration? What or who makes you go that little bit extra to make your characters so interesting?
I’m a late-bloomer—always knew I was meant to write, but it took decades to develop the confidence. I instructed college writing, cheered others on, but only in my fifties made writing my priority. So I’m pretty intense about my characters. When they come to me, they pretty much take over my life until I can write THE END! What about the art work on your covers? It really is exceptional. Do you work with an artist or your publisher or do they have their own ideas of just how to interpret your work?
My publisher is responsible for the great covers—he asks if I have any ideas, but goes with his artistic sense. I’ve never been disappointed.

Where do you come up with the names for your characters? Are they people you know who get a quiet mention? Or relatives long gone?
Names come from people I hear or read about, almost never people I know, but because I write mostly WWII stories, the names are from that era, like my parents/older friends.
Glenora, the heroine of Kiss Me Once Again, is an exception. My mom’s best friend was named Glenora and actually did work in her father’s garage during the war. Where are your stories set? How do you decide these things?
At first, I set them mostly in Iowa, but branched out in the series as my characters left home to contribute to the war effort. My latest book, though, is set in Texas Hill Country, which I’ve researched first-hand. Secondhand Sunsets, a 2021 release, is set in Arizona Territory under the Mogollon Rim, where my husband and I spend the winter. How long have you been writing?
About fifteen years, that is seriously. Before that, I co-wrote a manual for English as a Second Language Learners and contributed some articles and poetry to various magazine.

Do you write every day? Early? Late? Do you have a favorite spot to work on your stories? I write nearly every day, and move around from a favorite chair to standing at my kitchen counter, which is high enough to provide a change for my aging body. When I’m in the midst of a plot, I forget everything around me, sometimes even forget to eat.

And what do you like to read when you are relaxing and not writing?
All things WWII, Emily Dickinson, and in recent years, a few mysteries. What is coming in the future that everyone can look forward to? My next release, Land That I Love, takes readers from Nottinghamshire, England to Texas Hill Country, with a unique view of the war from a man who loves both countries.

Where can my readers find your books? And find out more about you?
http://amazon.com/author/gailkittleson. and WordCrafts,net

I am a dog lover so I know I want to know if you have a pet? If you do, how about a picture?
We have no pets, although we had a beagle named Barney when our children were still at home. But I’ll share a photo of our granddaughter’s puppy, Presley.

Do you have any audio books? Yes, With Each New Dawn and Until Then are in that format. Until Then was recorded by the daughter/husband of a real Iowa R.N. whose five-year-long evacuation hospital service during World War II formed the basis of the novel. And what else would you like my readers to know about you to get them to take the plunge and get one of your books? Hmm . . . you can count on my characters to face tremendous pressure, danger, and conundrums with integrity, yet rise above change and circumstance to contribute to the needs around them. One 2020 release, Secondhand Sunsets, is set under the Mogollon Rim, Arizona Territory during the Civil War—this is where my husband and I spend the winters. Another Country Music’s Hidden Gem, I co-wrote with the son of the man who composed the Tennessee Waltz. He also served four years during WWII in the South Pacific. Once in a while, I like to write something just plain different!

Gail, thank you for taking your time today to chat with me. I hope everyone will get one of Gail's books and jump right in. Cheers, Jacqueline Gillam Fairchild author: The Nantucket Tuck You Inn Series, The Midwest Series. All on Amazon. Facebook: Jacqueline Gillam Fairchild Join me in Drink Tea and Read Books, facebook group teatimewithhermajesty.com Actor: The American Immersion Company, The Murder Mystery Company, The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island.